Pretending to Cultivate in Kindergarten-Chapter 154: First Encounter

Lin Zhengran looked up, noticing the slight change in Jiang Jingshi’s expression—different from her usual demeanor. He was a bit surprised but still nodded. As long as she took his advice, that was what mattered.

After finishing the massage, Lin Zhengran sat at his desk, reviewing the personal profiles of all the company’s singers. He listened to samples of their songs to assess their skill levels in preparation for the afternoon meeting.

Meanwhile, Jiang Jingshi remained on the couch, as Lin Zhengran had told her to rest. She had nothing else to do, so she simply sat there.

Her face was still a little flushed from the massage, as if lost in thought. Occasionally, she would glance at Lin Zhengran working at his desk, her lips pressing together wordlessly.

Before lunch, Lin Zhengran left to find Jiang Xueli.

At the filming studio, he watched as she finished shooting the MV for You Are My Star with the help of the production crew.

Jiang Xueli quickly noticed him standing nearby. The moment she saw him, she froze mid-action and was immediately reminded by the director: “Lili, focus! Don’t get distracted!”

Jiang Xueli snapped out of it, flustered. “Got it!” She hurriedly continued singing and following the instructed movements, her heartbeat racing as she forced herself not to look at Lin Zhengran again—otherwise, she’d get too nervous.

Once the morning shoot was over, she walked over to him with her hands clasped behind her back. “Well, Zhengran? How was it? Not bad, right?”

Lin Zhengran nodded thoughtfully. “Aside from the times you spaced out, the rest was pretty good.”

“What do you mean, spaced out? I only—” Jiang Xueli’s face turned red, and she averted her gaze. Of course, I spaced out! You were watching me! How could I focus?

“What was that?” Lin Zhengran asked.

Jiang Xueli shook her head rapidly, like a little rattle drum. “Nothing, nothing.”

“Let’s go eat lunch. I heard that the cafeteria here has a menu supervised by Sister Wang, and the food is really good.”

“They even provide meals here? Sister Wang’s old studio never did that.”

As they walked toward the cafeteria, Lin Zhengran explained, “Back then, Sister Wang was running everything on limited funds. The studio wasn’t making much, so covering meals wasn’t feasible. Now, the management has changed, and the company has money, so meals were added.”

Jiang Xueli was once again reminded that Lin Zhengran was the boss now.

Walking beside him, she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that he had become a business owner. The gap in status was overwhelming—one morning wasn’t enough to fully process it.

But as they left, neither of them noticed that Jiang Jingshi and Pan Lin had been standing near the entrance of the studio.

Jiang Jingshi had come here personally to invite Lin Zhengran to lunch since he hadn’t returned to the office.

But the moment she arrived, she saw him chatting with Jiang Xueli, the two of them laughing and heading off to eat together.

Pan Lin, naturally, saw this as well. She blinked, slightly surprised, then glanced at Jiang Jingshi to gauge her reaction.

Sure enough, Jiang Jingshi’s once cheerful expression subtly shifted.

Her usually warm peach blossom eyes now carried a faint sense of disappointment.

She silently watched Lin Zhengran and Jiang Xueli walk away.

Wanting to smooth things over, Pan Lin softly said, “Maybe President Lin just wanted to try the employee cafeteria since it’s his first time here.”

Jiang Jingshi glanced at her.

Pan Lin swallowed nervously—perhaps she had spoken too much.

But Jiang Jingshi simply responded with a smile, “Is that so?”

She didn’t show any signs of anger. Instead, she said lightly, “Let’s go back to the office for lunch.”

Pan Lin quickly nodded. “Alright, I’ll get your meal for you.”

Jiang Jingshi turned and headed back upstairs.

Pan Lin watched her walk away.

She had been working for Jiang Jingshi for years, witnessing her moments of anger, sadness, and excitement. She had seen all kinds of emotions.

But this particular micro-expression…

It was new.

It wasn’t obvious, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of quiet loneliness.

At lunch, everyone, including Jiang Xueli and the other singers, had a well-balanced meal of three dishes and soup—generous and filling.

Jiang Xueli, sitting across from Lin Zhengran, marveled, “The food here is amazing!” She took a bite and exclaimed, “It’s way better than our school cafeteria! Zhengran, try it!”

Lin Zhengran took a few bites and had to admit—it was much better than the food at school. Clearly, Jiang Jingshi had put a lot of thought into the finer details.

After lunch, Jiang Xueli continued filming the indoor MV, while Lin Zhengran headed to the main hall.

By the time he arrived, over a hundred singers were already seated, along with Sister Wang.

He began the meeting, announcing that he would be providing a structured training session for everyone that afternoon, followed by individual guidance to address each singer’s vocal weaknesses.

His goal was to elevate the overall skill level of the company’s artists in the shortest time possible.

Meanwhile, just as Jiang Jingshi was about to head downstairs to observe the training, she received an urgent call from Jiang Corporation.

They needed her back at the company for an important meeting.

She had wanted to decline—after all, Lin Zhengran was only here for two days this week.

But the issue seemed serious, leaving her no choice but to go.

Before leaving, she went to find Lin Zhengran. “Zhengran, something came up at Jiang Corporation, so I have to head back. I won’t be able to stay with you this afternoon.”

Lin Zhengran nodded. “Go handle it, Sister Jiang. Just don’t forget what I told you earlier—get some rest.”

Jiang Jingshi smiled warmly. “Of course, I’ll remember.”

After a few simple exchanges, she and Pan Lin left, while Lin Zhengran officially started the training session.

On the way back to Jiang Corporation, Pan Lin thought about how little Jiang Jingshi had eaten at lunch—she had barely touched her food.

She had even helped tidy up the private dining area in the office, which made it clear—Jiang Jingshi’s original plan had been to personally prepare lunch for Lin Zhengran.

But he never came back.

Instead, he had gone to watch Jiang Xueli’s filming session.

Sitting in the front seat, Pan Lin glanced back and hesitated before asking, “President Jiang, should I buy you something to eat after the meeting? I don’t think you ate enough at lunch.”

Jiang Jingshi gazed out the window, then turned to look at her. “I’m not that hungry right now. I’ll see after the meeting.”

“…Alright.”

Just as Pan Lin was about to leave it at that, Jiang Jingshi suddenly said, “Wait. After the meeting, buy me a cup of instant noodles. I’ll eat it in the car.”

Pan Lin immediately nodded. “Got it, President Jiang.”

The Rolls-Royce drove toward Jiang Corporation.

Pan Lin accompanied Jiang Jingshi upstairs for the meeting.

By the time they returned to the car, more than an hour had passed.

Jiang Jingshi settled into her seat while Pan Lin, who had arranged for the purchase earlier, handed her a steaming cup of instant noodles—Master Kang’s braised beef flavor.

It was the only flavor President Jiang ever ate.

In the past, she would only have one every few months.

But lately, she had been eating it every week.

A while ago, Pan Lin had curiously asked, “President Jiang, what’s so good about this brand of instant noodles? You always buy the same one.”

At the time, Jiang Jingshi had simply replied, “It just tastes good. I’ve been eating it since I was a kid—it’s a habit.”

Pan Lin hadn’t thought much of it then.

But about a month ago, she finally understood.

Why would a CEO worth billions suddenly develop a fondness for the cheapest fast food?

Sitting in the back of the Rolls-Royce, Jiang Jingshi quietly unwrapped the noodles and poured in the hot water.

She sprinkled in half of the salt packet, along with all the vegetable and sauce packets.

As soon as the hot water was poured in, the steaming instant noodles immediately released a rich, enticing aroma.

Jiang Jingshi pierced the lid with a fork to trap the heat.

Then, she placed the cup of noodles to the side and began the long five-minute wait.

During those five minutes, the world around her fell into an eerie silence.

Neither the driver nor Pan Lin dared to speak.

Jiang Jingshi simply stared at the thin wisps of steam escaping from the lid’s edges, her thoughts drifting away.

And unknowingly, she was pulled back into a memory.

Back to the very first time she met him.

She was eight years old and in the second grade.

At the time, the Jiang family was rapidly expanding its business, but Jiang Corporation had yet to be officially established.

One day, eight-year-old Jiang Jingshi got food poisoning at school. After being excused from class, she went to the hospital for a check-up.

Her parents were too busy with business meetings to pick her up, so her aunt—who worked as a kindergarten teacher nearby—came to get her.

The doctor confirmed it was nothing serious and prescribed some medicine.

"Little one, does it still hurt?"

Young Jiang Jingshi, with her neatly tied ponytail and budding peach blossom eyes, held her aunt’s hand and nodded softly. “Not as much anymore. I just went to the restroom, and it feels better.”

“I’ll prescribe you some medicine. Take two pills, and if your stomach still hurts in the afternoon, come back for a recheck.”

Her aunt thanked the doctor and bought the medicine.

Since she had only taken a short leave, she called her supervisor and then took Jiang Jingshi back to the kindergarten.

Before heading to class, she instructed her, “Jingshi, stay in my office. Don’t wander around, okay? Your mom will come to pick you up after work.”

Jiang Jingshi nodded obediently. “I understand, Auntie.”

She had always been well-behaved and never caused trouble for adults.

Once they arrived at the kindergarten, she was settled in her aunt’s office.

The other teachers liked her and complimented her on her looks, asking which school she attended and what her name was.

At that moment, another teacher handed her aunt a class roster. “Sis, here’s the list for your class. That kid, Lin Zhengran, has amazing grades! Most kids his age just play around, but he already knows arithmetic.”

Her aunt recalled the boy in question. He had always been different from the other children—detached yet outstanding. Whether it was music practice or simple math games, he was always the best.

“There are always a few exceptional kids every year.”

She took the list and reminded Jiang Jingshi, “Jingshi, I’m going to class now. Stay in the office, alright? If you need to go to the restroom, you remember where it is, right?”

Jiang Jingshi nodded like a little adult. “Yes, Auntie. Out the door and to the right.”

Her aunt patted her head. “Good girl. I’ll be back later.”

Once her aunt left, Jiang Jingshi sat quietly in a corner of the office, motionless, behaving perfectly.

But after some time, a dull ache in her stomach made her frown. She got up, holding her belly, and walked toward the girls’ restroom.

After relieving herself, she sighed in relief.

Just then, the kindergarten’s break bell rang.

Jiang Jingshi knew the younger kids would be coming soon, so she decided to leave before the restroom got crowded.

But as she was about to step out, she suddenly heard a loud voice from outside.

“Hey, everyone, come look! This girl peed on her arm! She’s washing it! She’s washing her clothes!”

A boy’s voice—full of mean-spirited amusement.

The hallway quickly became chaotic.

Curious, Jiang Jingshi peeked outside.

A small girl stood there, trembling, her eyes red-rimmed, her arm soaked.

The surrounding children only gathered closer, whispering and giggling, as if watching some grand spectacle.

Jiang Jingshi was taken aback.

She felt bad for the little girl and hesitated, wanting to comfort her.

But before she could take a step, a boy suddenly barged through the crowd, storming over with fierce momentum.

He shoved his way past the gathered children and went straight to the crying girl.

“What happened?” he demanded.

The little girl stammered out a response.

And then, he scolded her.

“How do you not know who bullied you?”

Then, he turned and glared at the crowd. “Who said that just now? What’s your problem? Come out!”

His shout startled even Jiang Jingshi, a big kid.

After all, he was just a five-year-old boy.

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But his eyes—his expression—were terrifyingly sharp.

He questioned the crying girl again, pressing for the culprit’s name.

Once he identified the boy who had started it, he marched straight over.

“So it was you who bullied He Qing?! Why didn’t you come out when I called you?!”

Grabbing the boy’s arm, he added, “Come on, we’re going to the teacher. If the teacher won’t do anything, then we’ll settle this outside!”

The boy burst into tears, clutching his face and wailing apologies.

The surrounding children, who had been entertained just moments ago, suddenly grew uneasy.

Even Jiang Jingshi, watching from the side, felt a strange sense of awe.

This kid’s temper is scary.

But once the troublemaker had apologized, the boy didn’t push further.

After issuing a stern warning, he led the frightened girl away.

A group of girls nearby started whispering:

“That boy is so fierce.”

“I think he looks kinda cool.”

“If I got bullied, I’d want someone to stand up for me like that.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Listening to their murmurs, Jiang Jingshi followed their gazes toward the boy.

She happened to lock eyes with the rescued girl, who turned back for one last look before leaving.

That afternoon, Jiang Jingshi’s mother came to pick her up.

She left with her mother.

At the time, she never imagined she would meet that boy again.

And certainly not just a month later.

One Saturday, though she no longer remembered the exact date, Jiang Jingshi accompanied her mother to visit her grandmother.

Halfway there, her mother received an urgent business call.

After a brief conversation, she turned to her daughter. “Jingshi, I need to meet a client. Stay in the car, alright? I’ll lock the doors—don’t wander off.”

Jiang Jingshi nodded. She was used to her parents being busy.

Her mother, knowing her daughter was mature for her age, parked outside a residential complex, locked the car, and left to handle business.

At first, Jiang Jingshi sat quietly in the car.

She thought her mother would be back within an hour.

But time dragged on—from morning to afternoon.

At first, she had been calm.

But the longer she waited, the more uneasy she became.

She began anxiously pressing her face against the glass, peering toward the complex.

Why isn’t Mom back yet?

After what felt like forever, hunger gnawed at her.

Finally, she decided to get out and look for her mother.

But halfway to the complex entrance, she hesitated.

What if I get lost?

What if Mom comes back and I’m not there?

She turned back.

But as she tried to retrace her steps, she realized—

Every intersection in this complex looks exactly the same.

Little Jiang Jingshi panicked as tears welled up in her eyes. Completely disoriented, she ran aimlessly like a headless fly, unable to find her way back.

In her frantic state, she suddenly spotted a road in the distance. Thinking it was the exit, she hurried toward it.

But when she arrived, the scene before her was unfamiliar.

“…Mom.”

The word slipped out in a whisper, but the tears could no longer be held back, streaming down her face. Her naturally quiet nature made her sob in small, stifled cries.

At that moment, a boy happened to walk past.

He initially ignored the crying little girl.

But after a few steps, he stopped and sighed, turning back.

What’s with little girls in this world? Why are they always like this?

He could have just walked away—it had nothing to do with him.

But after being reborn, he found that ignoring these troublesome little kids didn’t sit well with his adult conscience.

So he turned around and approached her.

“Did you lose your mom?”

Hearing the voice, Jiang Jingshi blinked her teary eyes open, startled to find a boy standing close to her. She instinctively stepped back.

Wasn’t this… the same boy from kindergarten?

“You…” Her lips quivered as if she was about to cry again.

Lin Zhengran frowned. “Stop crying.”

His sharp tone startled her, making her recall how fierce he had been back at kindergarten.

She was so scared that she immediately stopped crying, sniffling instead.

Lin Zhengran asked again, “You got lost?”

Jiang Jingshi sniffled and nodded. “Mm.”

Since she was a little older, she was able to explain how she had gotten lost and why her mother had left.

Lin Zhengran sighed in relief. At least this girl had some logic—she could clearly explain what happened.

Much better than He Qing, who had just stood there, too scared to say a word.

He pointed into the distance. “If you’re not mistaken, you’re at the other entrance of the neighborhood. The place you came from should be over there.”

Jiang Jingshi turned to look where he pointed but hesitated.

She had already gotten lost once—what if she got lost again?

Lin Zhengran seemed to understand the hesitation that came with her age. With a sigh, he figured he might as well go all the way.

“I’ll take you there.”

“…Okay.” She sniffled again.

Lin Zhengran frowned. “What are you still crying for?”

Jiang Jingshi quickly wiped her eyes. “I—I wasn’t crying. Just wiping my tears.”

Lin Zhengran had no choice but to lead her back to the other entrance.

The moment she saw her mother’s car, her face lit up with joy, and she immediately ran toward it.

Even though her mother wasn’t there, just finding the car made her feel safe again.

She turned back to Lin Zhengran. “Thank you… my name is—”

Lin Zhengran waved his hand dismissively. “No need to tell me your name. I’m not interested. You’ve found your car, so just stay put next time. Your mom is probably busy, and if you wander off again, you’ll just get lost.”

Little Jiang Jingshi nodded obediently.

“I’m leaving now. Otherwise, my mom won’t be able to find me.”

He turned to go.

But just as he was about to leave, he heard the unmistakable grumble of a hungry stomach.

Jiang Jingshi immediately clutched her stomach in embarrassment.

He looked back at her.

She looked even more embarrassed.

Not far away, there was a small supermarket in the neighborhood.

“Does your mom keep money in the car?” he asked.

Jiang Jingshi hesitated. “I… I don’t know.”

Lin Zhengran opened the car door and rummaged through possible storage spots.

Luckily, paper currency was still common at the time.

He managed to find a few loose bills in the glove compartment.

Without another word, he walked over to the small supermarket and bought a cup of braised beef instant noodles.

He also borrowed some hot water from the cashier and handed the steaming cup to Jiang Jingshi.

“Eat this. When your mom comes back, just say you bought it yourself. Let it sit for a few minutes before eating.”

“…Okay.”

“I’m leaving now.”

This time, he really left without lingering.

For Lin Zhengran, moments like this were too numerous to count.

So insignificant that they didn’t even leave an impression in his memory.

But for little Jiang Jingshi, as she held the cup of noodles and watched his figure disappear into the distance…

This scene, without her realizing, etched itself into her mind.

The heat from the noodles transferred to the cup, burning her fingers slightly.

She quickly set it down.

By the time she looked up again, Lin Zhengran was already gone.

She blinked.

Then softly muttered, “…Thank you.”

A few minutes later, she dug into the noodles.

They tasted better than anything she had ever eaten before.